Namibia's Desert Jewels netball team has qualified for the 2027 World Netball Cup in Australia, alongside African giants Uganda, South Africa, and Malawi. The tournament is set to take place from 25 August 2027 to 5 September 2027. According to Charles Namaseb, the team's conditioning coach, the next 10 months will be crucial in preparing the team for the competition. Namaseb emphasizes that having enough time to prepare will be an advantage, but it must be used wisely.
Namaseb notes that the Namibian sport fraternity has been accused of delaying preparations for international competitions until the last minute. He believes that this trend can be self-inflicting and wants to ensure that the Desert Jewels avoid it. To achieve this, Namaseb plans to break down the preparation period into stages, building a foundation, adding speed and power, and finally sharpening and tapering to ensure the players arrive fresh.
The Desert Jewels' preparation will focus on keeping players healthy, as an injury can have long-term consequences. Players based away from the national camp will have individual programs with regular check-ins and testing windows. Namaseb stresses that consistency over the next 10 months is more important than any single hard session. He also highlights lessons learned from the Africa Cup, including fatigue management, finishing strongly, and adapting to travel and different conditions.
Namaseb's observations from the Africa Cup include the need for improved squad depth and rotating players well. He notes that everyone must be conditioned to the same standard, not just the starters. Additionally, Namaseb emphasizes that the physical level will rise at the world cup, with opponents expected to be faster and stronger. The team's speed, strength, and contact-readiness targets must therefore be higher than they were at the continental level.
The Desert Jewels' macrocycle over the next 10 months will run in five blocks, with shorter mesocycles of three to four weeks and a lighter week for recovery. Testing will be scheduled at the end of each block to adjust the plan based on data. Namaseb also plans to arrive in Australia early enough to manage the time difference of roughly eight hours.
According to Namaseb, netball is a game of repeated explosive efforts, including jumping, landing, sprinting, decelerating, and changing direction. These efforts often occur late in the fourth quarter, and his job is to ensure that the players' bodies can deliver what the coach's game plan demands. Namaseb sees his role as two-fold: to raise performance and to keep players available.
Namaseb works closely with the head coach, physiotherapist, doctor, and nutritionist to ensure that conditioning only works when everyone is pulling together. With a well-planned preparation period, he is confident that the Desert Jewels can perform at their best at the 2027 World Netball Cup. The team's goal is to make the most of the next 10 months and arrive at the tournament well-prepared and in top condition.
Key points
- The Desert Jewels have qualified for the 2027 World Netball Cup alongside Uganda, South Africa, and Malawi.
- The team's preparation will focus on keeping players healthy and building a strong foundation.
- The macrocycle will run in five blocks over the next 10 months, with regular testing and adjustments.
